NHTSA Complaint #10816933 — 2011 SUBARU IMPREZA

2011 SUBARU IMPREZA WRX HATCH- MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER FAILURE-PRESSED CLUTCH TO THE FLOOR AND PUT IN FIRST GEAR. CLUTCH DID NOT RETURN AND STAYED TO FLOOR. HYDRAULIC FLUID LEAKED OUT OF THE BOTTOM OF THE MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER. CAR WAS MOVING AND COULD NOT GET OUT OF GEAR. CLUTCH WAS UNUSABLE TO GET OUT OF GEAR DUE TO FLUID LOSS. HAD TO STALL CAR TO SHUT OFF-VERY DANGEROUS...LUCKILY I WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY DURING OCCURRENCE-SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO 1ST GEAR THAT'S WHEN THE CLUTCH FAILED. AFTER FORUM RESEARCH FOUND OUT THERE IS A INTERNAL PLATE IN THE MASTER CLUTCH CYLINDER THAT FAILS...THE PLATE CRACKS OR BENDS CAUSING MASS FLUID LOSS, AND IMMEDIATE LOSS OF CLUTCH CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO REMAIN IN WHAT EVER GEAR YOU ARE IN UNTIL YOU STALL OR WRECK. AFTER RESEARCH I REMOVED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND REMOVED THE RETAINING RING TO PULL THE PLATE OUT. THERE WAS A CRACK IN THE PLATE AGAINST THE RUBBER O-RING/SEAL. I PERFORMED A DYE PENETRATE TEST TO CONFIRM THE CRACK WAS COMPLETELY THROUGH THE PLATE. PICTURES BELOW OF THE NDT TESTING ON THE CRACKED PLATE. *JS